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Joe Mewis

Leeds United handed Liam Cooper boost as Marcelo Bielsa confirms side to face Fulham

Leeds United have been boosted by the return of their skipper Liam Cooper for this afternoon's Premier League clash against Fulham.

Elland Road hosts its first top flight match for 16 years today as Marcelo Bielsa's side look to claim their first points of the season against Scott Parker's fellow new boys.

Leeds are able to call on their skipper after he was forced to sit out last weekend's 4-3 defeat to Liverpool with a calf problem that he suffered on international duty.

Cooper returns to the starting XI, as do the bulk of the players who start at Anfield following the midweek Carabao Cup defeat to Hull City, which saw Bielsa make a full slate of 11 changes for. Pascal Struijk is the player who makes way for Cooper from last weekend's side.

That means Illan Meslier is again in goal, with a defence of Luke Ayling, Robin Koch, Cooper and Stuart Dallas, with Kalvin Phillips operating in his usual defensive midfielder role.

Mateusz Klich and Pablo Hernandez will play centrally further forward, with Helder Costa and Jack Harrison again on the flanks. Patrick Bamford continues up front, meaning that record signing Rodrigo, who played all 90 minutes against Hull midweek, waits for his full Premier League debut with Leeds United.

Struijk returns to the bench, with Elia Caprile also taking his place among the substitutes as Kiko Casilla dropping out of the matchday squad,

Leeds and Fulham last met in June, with Bielsa's side triumphing 3-0 during the run-in to their Championship title success.

Leeds United XI: Meslier; Ayling, Koch, Cooper, Dallas; Phillips; Costa, Klich, Hernandez, Harrison; Bamford

Subs: Caprile, Alioski, Struijk, Shackleton, Roberts, Poveda, Rodrigo

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